Food is a universal language. Having a meal with your family or eating food from a different country is an experience that informs you about yourself and the world. “Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico” follows in the footsteps of the award-winning series “Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy,” showing viewers food through the eyes of a host that has a personal connection to the show’s location.
Eva Longoria serves as this season’s host and guide, taking us to various Mexican locations over the course of six episodes. “Searching for Mexico” is a stunning series, lush and colorful, painting a full and loving portrait of a country that deeply respects its history, yet has grown and adapted with the times, transforming into one of the world’s most daring culinary hotspots. Episodes range from the hustle and inventiveness of Mexico City to the stunning Yucatán, where cooks prepare meals following techniques devised by the ancient Mayans. One comes out of the series having experienced something special, with a newfound respect for the people that have spent their lives telling a story through food.
In an exclusive interview with HOLA! USA, Eva Longoria spoke about the series, her personal connection to Mexico, and her passion for food.
I love the show. I thought it was so colorful and lush. My favorite part was watching you be so moved by meeting new people, tasting new foods, and learning various cooking techniques. Can you tell me a bit about your relationship with Mexico?
I live part-time in Mexico City with my husband. I married a ‘chilango’ (laughs) so over the past 10 years I’ve been back and forth between Mexico City and Los Angeles. I was such a big fan of “Searching for Italy,” so when CNN came to me and said they wanted to do a spinoff, I immediately said ‘You should do Mexico.’
Mexico is a culinary treasure. There are so many ingredients available and it has so many distinct cities that would make for such a beautiful show on a visual level. So CNN researched a bit and then they got back to me and were like ‘Great, let’s do it.’
What was the most exciting part about making this show?
Definitely to be able to show people the Mexico that I know and love, the beauty of its people, and its culture. A lot of what we know about Mexico is what we see in the media, which doesn’t paint a complete picture. I wanted to show the world a different side of Mexico, which is full of cultural riches.
Can you tell me a little bit about your relationship with food?
It’s amazing (laughs). I really love food and I’m a big cook. I’m also a big Mexican cook, so that made me really excited to do this show. But the thing that excited me the most was learning about my country and my race through food. You know, I’m Mexican-American but even as someone who’s known and traveled the country, as I was shooting the series I was like ‘Oh my God, I didn’t know this. I’ve never been here before, I’ve never eaten this.’ It was a truly educational journey.
Absolutely. I think that’s what makes the show so rich, because the viewer can tell that you’re learning from everything you’re doing and enjoying it.
What about the challenges of making this show? I know you’ve directed documentaries, but this feels different, requiring travel and new experiences.
I’m a fan of travel shows and specifically travel food shows. I was a huge fan of Anthony Bourdain and loved how he weaved the politics of each place he visited with its food. ‘Cause if you’re talking about the food of a country, you’re talking about the people. And for me, to have the opportunity to do this show and talk to so many different people and help tell their stories was a big honor. I’m hoping that people who watch the show learn from it, as I did.
“Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico,” premieres this Sunday, March 26th, at 10 PM ET. Consecutive episodes will air the following Sundays at 9 PM ET.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.